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December 30, 2015

Maybe you couldn't put your finger on it but when Christmas morning came, something was.... missing.

Or perhaps with a new year staring you in the face, you're feeling the pressure of making diet resolutions or executing a new exercise regimen.

But then, you may just be someone who likes shiny objects and new toys. We all know I fall into this third category and so I was very excited to try out some new earphones over the holidays, the Shadow Wireless Earphones from Sol Republic.

(I think in 2016 I am going to have to work on my Selfie game.)

These are pretty sensational, in fact. They are super light-weight and even though they have a snug fit in the ears, they don't feel uncomfortable around my neck (a style I typically avoid in earphones for that issue). I did a little dance and they didn't fall out of my ears and when I wasn't listening to anything, they just stayed put comfortably like so:

That will be so great for travel so I can put them there and not have to fuss with getting something out of my bag and putting them away.

As with all things Sol Republic, the audio is clear and bright. The noise cancellation is on point - especially for earbuds. I popped them in and even without music playing, the world faded away and that was quite lovely!

The packaging? Sleek and on fleek:

A couple brief notes of caution, though. I will only say that the blasted sticker on the side of the box was a pain in the tush to peel off. I WANTED IN ON THOSE EARPHONES! And the sticker was making my life challenging. And otherwise, I'd only advise that they do take about an hour to fully charge so if you plan to use them right away when you open them, well, you can't. So just plan accordingly. The good news is, they are very simple to charge with a hidden port on the earbud and a cable that comes with them and charges on any USB port like your phone would.

It's a great time of year to come into some wireless earphones I love! In 2016 plan on seeing me sporting these on walks and during vacations. You can order your own from the company's site but I recommend Amazon, where they are priced the same ($99.99) and you have a few color options.

But first, stick around! I'm going to give someone a pair to kick off 2016! Enter the giveaway below and keep coming back daily to increase your odds:

Disclosure: Like two hours after I finished this post I remembered I had to tell you guys that Sol Republic gifted me one pair of these to review honestly for this blog. But I'm paying for the giveaway pair. Because I'm just like Santa Claus.

December 22, 2015

You may not realize it, but we're at war, folks. A war with these horrible, uncomfortable, unnatural creation of man:

Tell me you LOVE wearing these and I'll tell you you're either a liar or that your ears are made of foam. The earbuds that come with your Apple products are horrible, right? Who likes these? Who designed these and thought "There. Fixed it for you." Terrible.

We all deserve better in both comfort and audio quality so may I recommend to you the Monster Clarity HD Earbuds. They deliver the comfort, higher sound quality, quality noise isolation, improved phone calls... They are extraordinarily durable and they won't fall out of your ears right in the middle of that awesome Christmas jam you're dancing to.

Check out the brilliant ergonomic design:

Just to make sure they fit, Monster includes size options. My big ol' ears needed the biggest size to ensure they stay put but whatever works, I say!

Noise isolation is more important to some than others. For me it's crucial because I simply cannot concentrate when I have a ton of background noise. I like to put on one thing in the background and focus on that to concentrate. It's the most critical part of my work routine. So I was skeptical but ultimately astounded to find that these earbuds offer noise isolation -- something you don't often come across outside of over-the-ear or on-the-ear listening devices.

Added fun - they come in a few colors! If you're feeling sassy, go for the neon yellow or a bold pink! I'm sticking with black. I like them to be camouflaged in my hair. :)

Seriously, y'all. Toss those crappy Apple earbuds in the trash. No one's putting any effort into their composition and nor should you put any effort into using them. Treat yourself to something better in the new year.

DISCOUNT CODE: When you shop directly withMonsteruse the code 'MonsterNation' through Christmas to get 20% off! They're also easy to snatch up from Amazon so what are you waiting for? THIS IS WAR!

Disclosure: Monster provided me with a pair to try in exchange for my honest review. And I really was dancing to holiday jams. It's all I listen to in December.

November 19, 2015

Meet Odie and Tucker, who miraculously sat still for at least twelve photos!

Seriously. Do you have pets? With costumes on. That's a feat.

In the "Dog-Eared Classics 2016 Calendar," the two lovable pups portray their favorite characters from classic literature like Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, J.M. Barrie, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Tucker and Odie are both rescue dogs themselves (and happen to belong to a couple of friends of mine) and really excited to be canine supermodels and supporting worthy causes (I imagine that's what they would say if they could speak).

"Worthy causes, you say?"

Yes, and this is especially important to my local readers -- a portion of the proceeds from this calendar will be split between:

The Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter: The VBAS, a 501(c)(3) animal service agency, is devoted to providing medical, social, behavioral and financial care for animals at risk and determined to eliminate animal homelessness in the Burbank community.

The Animal Protectorates. TAPS mission statement is summarized with the 4 prongs of their acronym: Teach, Advocate, Protect, and Support. TAPS, a 501(c)3 corporation, facilitates the direct protection of animals in every possible way; provides sponsorship for, and financial support to programs and organizations involving animal welfare; provides outreach and education to promote an increased awareness of animal cruelty; encourages every citizen to become active, involved and responsible animal guardians; promotes the legal re-classification of animals to a category other than property; and, carries on other charitable activities associated with these goals as allowed by law.

The calendar is only $13.50. Wouldn't you be happy to give $13.50 so that a few of Tucker and Odie's buddies can find happy homes this holiday season?

June 17, 2015

I did. I was so, so cynical, guys. But someone asked me to try a selfie stick so I did. My first exposure was at a bachelorette party. Why should someone stand back and take a photo of everyone else when they can just be in it? And at the subsequent wedding that followed, we found ourselves at it again - in the Church, in the parking lot, at the reception. We were selfie sticking all over!

And... I liked it.

And I'm spoiled now. SelfieOnAstick.com is the leading selfie stick provider and has been featured with Vogue as well as the Steve Harvey Show. (Have you seen it? It's surprisingly delightful!) You'll also notice some celebs using it like Ansel Elgort, the Biebs and even a certain family of famous sisters on E! whose names I'll never mention on this blog (they're my Voldemort). They're affiliated with top brands as well -- a testimony to the quality of the product -- like Nordstrom, QVC, Madame Tussaud's, and Old Navy, among others.

I mean, as soon as I opened the box, I was selfie-ing. Look at what a nerd I am....

Or as my friend Danielle says, you need not only Selfie. It is also an excellent spy tool. But I'll leave that to devious people like her. ;)

It's really so easy to use and some models are even bluetooth enabled so you can click your pics with a little remote control. COME ON! I love gadgets and that's a fun gadget.

Can I hold out my camera and try to squeeze people into a selfie the old-fashioned way? Sure. And then I'll probably end up with a close-up of my nose.... But it's a fun activity for a group. I swear when you pull out the selfie stick, people just start jumping into your photos and then you end up laughing and posing for a whole series.

I think that it's easy to use is also what makes it so addicting. If you'll just pardon my very technical jargony terms here, 1. You just stick your phone in the clamp, which is adjustable for any size phone, 2. You plug a little cord into the headphone jack and then poof! All set. 3. There is a little button on the handle for all the selfie-taking your heart desires. It's like crack, I tell you.

At the end of the day, it's hard to cling to my cynicism when it's just so damned fun to use, so surprisingly convenient, and incredibly affordable. You can buy one straight from the company's website where it comes in a multitude of colors in a few model variations (i.e. the remote control).

Seriously. Don't judge until you've tried it -- try it and you'll be a believer.

Disclosure: I was provided with a selfie stick in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. I'm a true selfie stick convert.

March 25, 2015

Long Tall Sallyis a wonderful online shop for tall-lady fashions and large-footed shoes. Seriously, they serve women 5'8" and up as well as shoes, sizes 10 - 15! (15! I wear and 11 or 12 and cannot even imagine. My sympathies to anyone in this position.)

I was in the market for some comfy everyday shoes so I was excited when they sent me these from one of their premiere partners, Barefoot Tess:

Barefoot Tess mmay be their premiere partner but you'll also find a lot of other familiar brands like Nine West, New Balance, Sam Edelman (one of my faves!) and more. Which is great. Why shouldn't we get to wear the latest trends despite our monster sizes?

These Dahlia lace-ups are normally $79.00 and they turned out to be super comfy! I love the shine with the snakeskin detailing and the thick soles - they are great to walk in. Of course, I also didn't mind just kicking back and putting 'em up, either!

Here is something else really fantastic about the site -- accessories. Think about this. If you are a taller gal like me (though to be fair, I'm an eighth below their site's recommended minimum of 5'8"), this can be trickier than you realize! So they have tall-friendly items like gloves (longer fingers!), scarves (longer lengths!), purses (longer straps!) -- get the idea? Suddenly you're going to be so much more comfortable in everything you have on. You won't even realize how awkward you were before, amiright?

I'm SUCH a sucker for scarves. I cannot wait to order a ton of them. Forget that I'm tall - I'm chesty so extra length on a scarf is really fantastic to me.

Clothing sizes run up to size 20 and they have everything from pantyhose and jammies up to sweaters and coats.

I'm so happy to have found this site! My credit card bill is a little annoyed but Mastercard's not the boss of me.... So in closing, a little musical tribute that seemed perfectly appropriate! "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard. A classic!

January 15, 2015

I mean, it doesn't really matter because now, thanks to the ever-loving genius hive mind at Ulysses Press -- you remember them as the masterminds behind the Sex Positions Coloring Book -- you can COLOR HILLARY.

No, I am not kidding.

Get out the old Crayolas, pour yourself a cocktail and explore the profound life of America's 44th First Lady.

To honor America’s best-known female politician with sky blue, apricot, goldenrod and brick red, Ulysses has unveiled “Hillary: The Coloring Book.” Whether you love her or hate her, you’ll color and discover the extraordinary life of one miz Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The book chronicles 30 unforgettable moments in her life. You’ll capture her early childhood and academic accomplishments, time as First Lady in Arkansas and the White House, and years in the Senate and State Department, as well as her entire political career right up to the launch of the 2016 Presidential Race.

Here's a rather pensive moment. I'm going to color that blous in with polka-dots.

And a touching day for the Clintons....

I think those are some pretty bangin' 1970s era jammies on the Clintons right there. If only you could color in with sequins, amiright?

You can even design the ultimate Hillary 2016 campaign poster!

All 30 hand-drawn images are ready to be colored—including my most favorite canvas, the iconic “Texts from Hillary” moment—and are accompanied by fun facts.

The right, of course, would not be silenced as surely this coloring book would be the force that propelled Mrs. Clinton straight into the Oval Office, so they have come up with a contrary coloring book. Did you ever think you'd see the day a coloring book battle made headlines in the Washington Post?

No, me either. But all the more reason to buy it and be part of the most epic political confrontation ever. ;)

It's not even $9 so you have to have it! Click here to snatch it up from Amazon. But before you do that, why not try to win a copy?

January 07, 2015

Fun fact - 68% of U.S. adults drink freshly brewed hot tea! I absolutely love tea but oddly do not drink it often enough. I'm sure you noticed yesterday that one of my goals this year is to learn more about tea and drink it more often so I was pretty damned excited when I was presented with this rare opportunity.

Not only try a premium line of teas but to speak with the founder, who successfully landed a deal on my favorite TV show, "Shark Tank!"

Colder weather and warmer layers have finally reached us here in Southern California. Lord knows my ailing body these last few weeks have needed some tea... Simply put, I think Talbott Teas is my new favorite tea. At the very least, I am completely obsessed with their Green Tea - a tea flavor I could previously take or leave (I am primarily a black tea devotee). Talbott takes relaxation seriously; as an art form. "Your cup is their canvas" — that is why each unique variety has the power to transform, to inspire and to comfort.

If I can't convince you to try it, I bet Oprah can. It's been named one of her favorite things!

I'm often skeptical of loose leaf teas. Mostly because - to be candid - I'm lazy. I wanna put the pouch in my cup and be done with it. But the second I started opening the Talbott canisters, I was transported. The aromas are heavenly. No joke, guys. And Talbott makes it super easy anyway. Have a look at the little set they sent -- a spoon that is the exact serving size, pouches to put the tea into, honey sticks. These are all things you can order from their site to jump right in. And you should.

The red canister, Cocoa Cardamon Seduction, was a new flavor for me. I liked it but it would be a treat tea; not something I'd go for every morning. The Orange Creme Dreams was a big hit - I do enjoy citrus flavored teas. But the green was easily my favorite. I will never again associate green tea with the weak stuff you get at Chinese restaurants. This was aromatic and rich in flavor. Vanilla and strawberries came out to me. It was addicting. It's coming with me to work every morning. If you want to try it, or any of their other flavors or products, click here.

Of course, I first heard of Talbott Teas when they appeared on "Shark Tank" and was excited when he agreed to speak with me! AAAAAAAH! Finally, I could ask someone with intimate knowledge about Kevin O'Leary and what it is really like in that room!

Talbott Teas founder, Shane Talbott

Q: As your background is in the salon/spa industry and this tea is nothing if not indulgent and decadent, all that aside, what are some of your other favorite ways to pamper yourself?

A: With my familiarity of salon and spa environment my two favorite things to indulge in are a hot stone massage and a spa pedicure. The hot stone massage is one of the best ways to work out all those tense areas that creep up during Chicago's extreme winter weather. A spa pedicure is different than a traditional pedicure in that it usually includes a good massage of your feet and calves, versus the classic "get the job done" pedicure that can be relatively quick. After a spa pedicure I feel like I am walking on air and I find it so relaxing.

Q: Which are your favorite Talbott Teas?

A: I love chai teas so my favorites are the teas with complex flavors and spices. I love Cocoa Cardamom Seduction, and Steamy Cinnamon Rose. Both are black teas with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and have incredible aroma and depth of flavor.

Q: Ok, "Shark Tank" is my favorite so I simply must ask -- what are your emotions really like when you're in the Tank? You were so calm and poised but what's happening internally?

A: Let me tell you it was completely nerve wrecking! We were SO nervous, but I think what helped the most is that we really prepared ourselves before presenting to the Sharks. A great thing we did was assemble a few of our friends and asked them to come to our home, line up and pretend to be Sharks while we presented to them. It was surprisingly hard! They were great at throwing tough questions at us and it helped us to have the answer ready.

Q: How has it been working with Kevin O'Leary? Is he just as "wonderful" as he claims to be?

A: Well, as long as everybody is making money, then "Mr. Wonderful" is wonderful! I think we were very fortunate that Kevin saw the potential in Talbott Teas and when we immediately started seeing success it turned out to be a great business relationship.

Q: What do you find most people don't know about tea?

A: There are so many different kinds of tea, like green tea, black tea, white tea, and most people dont realize how much of a difference it makes how long you brew the tea and the temperature of the water. You can take the same tea and brew it with different times and temperature and end up with totally different results. I think that is why tea lovers are tea lovers, the fact that each experience can me so unique.

# # #

Indeed. Please count me among the tea lovers and Talbott Tea lovers of the world. I can't thank Shane enough for his time and for his wonderful line of teas. I wish him the best of luck on his new adventure, working with Jamba Juice as their VP of Innovations. (Jamba revently acquired Talbott Teas - so exciting!)

Disclosure: I was provided with product in exchange for my honest review. I was also provided with patience as my lung plague delayed this review and post. And lastly, I was provided with the amazing opportunity to interview Mr. Talbott for which I am extremely grateful!

December 29, 2014

Think you've gotten too old for jello shots? (Or maybe you're like me and my friends who believe you're never too old for them?) You have to reconsider your position because Ludlows Cocktail Co. is reinventing the wheel and it's fantastic. I was not surprised to learn one of the co-founders, Freya Estreller, was part of the brain trust that blessed the world with Coolahus Ice Cream. But one night, a light bulb -- and Freya teamed up with her friend Ethan Feirstein.

"We immediately began experimenting... making our favorite classic cocktails in jello shot form. We brought our edible cocktails to dinner parties instead of the usual bottle of wine and were struck by how much people freaked out over them. Seriously. And we’re 30. We had to make this happen. We had to make a jello shot worthy of our adult selves!"

Voila! Jello shots on demand! Or "Jelly" shots in this case. Peel off the top and enjoy. You don't even need to refrigerate them (although, in my experience, they're even yummier cold). What an awesome thing to grab for New Year's Eve! Amiright or what? (Right now all of the people I'm hanging out with on New Year's Eve are very excited, I'm sure.)

If you're thinking "they don't sell these in my hood" you'd be wrong. They do. I wondered as well but a few clicks into the website's store locator later, I learned they are sold all over the damned place and I was somehow missing them. A five-pack is only about $12. COME ON!

They come in five, wonderful flavors. I tried them all because I believe in providing my readers with well-rounded, thoughtful reviews. *hiccup!*

Fresh Lime Margarita (legit - tastes just like it!)

Meyer Lemon Drop (the least "boozy" tasting, if you like)

Old Fashioned (the strongest, in my opinion - quite bourbon-tastic!)

Planter's Punch (this one is my favorite)

Moscow Mule (this was a close second)

They are crafted like the best cocktails are - with premium liquor and natural flavors.

Jello shots for grown ups. Genius. How did no one think of this sooner?

Disclosure: I was provided with product in exchange for my honest review, which you just read. Unless you scrolled straight down to this disclosure, in which case, you're kind of missing the best part, buddy. And special thanks to Ludlows who had to wait for me to recover from food poisoning so I could even try the jelly shots. Because even I have my limits.